Edgewood ‘Family’ Says Goodbye In Heartfelt Closing Ceremony

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN — The end of 44 years of educational tradition was marked Friday afternoon with closing ceremonies held at Edgewood Elementary School.

Students, teachers, staff, retirees, parents, administrators and school board members all gathered in the building’s steaming all-purpose room to say goodbye to the school they have called home for so many years, and to the people they have called “family” for just as long.

“This is a place that has welcomed every child as family,” Superintendent Jeff Sparagana told the assembly. “This is a school community that greets anyone who walks through the door as their own.”

He praised the work done at the school saying “never let anyone say our staff does not take the work they do seriously. If anyone in this region says the work we do here is not done well, I invite them to come here and visit and see for themselves.”

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130601/NEWS01/130539783/edgewood-family-says-goodbye-in-heartfelt-closing-ceremony#full_story

Hearing On Closing Of Edgewood Elementary Set For 6 p.m. Thursday

Editor’s note:  Isn’t this like beating a dead horse?  Hasn’t this decision already been made and haven’t people already got their guts in an uproar?  Aren’t the renovations for the other three schools already in the works?  Why can’t Pottstown made a decision and stick with it?  All this vacillating is why NOTHING EVER GETS DONE!

POTTSTOWN — The start of the public’s opportunity to offer comment on the proposed closing of Edgewood Elementary School begins at 6 p.m. Thursday with a public hearing to be held in the cafeteria of Pottstown’s High School.

Called an Act 34 hearing, it is a requirement of Pennsylvania law whenever a school building is to be closed.

However, what is not required, according to School District Solicitor Stephen Kalis, is any kind of informational packet for the public to study before hand.

Rather, he said, the school board’s rationale for its decision to close the building will be offered at the beginning of the hearing, and the public is invited to comment after that.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130212/NEWS01/130219800/hearing-closing-of-edgewood-elementary-set-for-6-p-m-thursday#full_story

Kutztown School District Considers Closing Albany Elementary

Image via Wikipedia

In a potential belt-tightening move, the Kutztown School Board has raised the idea of closing Albany Elementary School next year.

At a recent budget and finance committee meeting, the board directed administrators to arrange for a public meeting on the issue.

That forum will be March 6 at 7 p.m. in the Kutztown High School auditorium.

Superintendent Nicholas Lazo Jr. emphasized that the board has not made a decision to close Albany Elementary, located along Route 737 near Kempton.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=366812

Junk Flyers Make Their Way To Pottstown’s North End

Someone went through our complex today slapping Rupert flyers in the hallways of the buildings.  The hallways were just painted and the wet paint signs are still hanging up!

There are only six apartments in this complex out of one hundred and four with elementary school age children according to our Leasing Manager.  Most people who live here are senior citizens or do not have children.  That was a complete waste of time and paper.  So thanks for junking up our hallways with your flyers!

As for the proposed sale of Franklin School to a group who will open a private high school for problem teens, we all saw the article in The Fishwrap so photocopying it on a flyer and littering up the North End was a waste of time and paper.  I DO NOT see that concept getting approved.  Scare tactics!

If you want to get behind the real problem in Pottstown you should be focused on drugs and crime related to drugs.  That is doing more damage to Pottstown than any elementary school closing will ever do!

UPDATE!  Many thanks to SavePottstown!! for investing this matter and reporting it to the authorities!

http://savepottstown.com/lang/es/2011/07/criminals-on-the-run/

Additional Update – Today’s Fishwrap includes coverage of the Pottstown School District Finance Committee meeting that was held on Thursday evening.  Evan reports that the board showed little interest in selling the Annex to Delaware Valley High School to educate “troubled” Reading teenagers.  Dr. Lindley revealed that he did not give a tour of Franklin School to the DVHS group.  Dr. Lindley told the DVHS group that Pottstown does not have the need for this type of program for our own students.  So as you see, now that the facts are presented this whole hysterical campaign about Franklin School was just that…hysterical.  It would be nice if we gave Dr. Lindley and the School Board some credit for having a brain before rushing to incorrect conclusions and whooping the community into a frenzied lather over something that was never going to happen!